Austal and the U.S. Navy held a keel-laying ceremony today
for the future USS Manchester (LCS 14), marking the first
significant milestone in its construction. This ship is the
fifth Independence variant littoral combat ship (LCS) built
at Austal under the 10-ship, $3.5 billion block buy contract
awarded to Austal in 2010. The U.S. Navy also announced that
future USS Jackson (LCS 6) successfully concluded acceptance
trials June 26, after completing a series of...

The fourth of a total of six Varshavyanka class submarines
of Project 636.1 that Vietnam ordered from Russia has been
delivered to Cam Ranh Port in the central part of the country
on Tuesday. The Da Nang submarine was transported by the Dutch
heavy load carrier vessel Rolldok Star. Its unloading and
the submarine’s putting afloat will be carried out within
the next two days after all the necessary administrative formalities
and customs documentation execution are completed.

British Company WFEL Built The Land Based Ski Jump Used For F-35B Lightning
II Aircraft Tests

WFEL
has played a vital role in the inaugural launch of the F-35B
Lightning II, which has made aviation history after it took
off from a WFEL ski jump in the US, piloted by British BAE
Systems Test Pilot Pete 'Wizzer' Wilson. The land-based test
was carried out above the Naval Air Station (NAS) in Patuxent
River, Maryland, and marks the first time that an F-35 Lightning
II has taken off from a ski jump. Ski-jump ramps provide an
aircraft with an upward flight path...

Saab Signs Contracts with Sweden for A26 Submarines and Upgrade for
Gotland-Class Submarines

Swedish company Saab has signed contracts with the Swedish
Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) for the construction
of two new Type A26 submarines and a mid-life upgrade for
two Gotland-class submarines. The orders, signed with FMV
on June 30, cover the period 2015-2024 and the total order
value is $1.04 billion (€934 million).

Orbital ATK Successfully Launched Two GQM-163A Coyote Targets for the
U.S. Navy

Orbital ATK, Inc. a global leader in aerospace and defense
technologies, successfully launched two GQM-163A Coyote Supersonic
Target Vehicles for the U.S. Navy, marking the 47th and 48th
mission of Coyote program since its inception 15 years ago.
“The recent flight test showcases the robustness of
the Coyote target and the commitment of our team to the success
of our customer’s mission,” said Keven Leith,
Orbital ATK’s Senior Director of Navy Programs.

The
U.S. Navy's venerable EA-6B Prowler tactical jamming aircraft,
designed and built by Northrop Grumman Corporation, has been
a fixture at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island and in the nation's
carrier-based strike forces since 1971. On Saturday, June
27, the longest serving carrier-based aircraft in history
passed that electronic attack baton to its successor, the
EA-18G Growler, with a ceremonial final take-off and flyaway
from its longtime home base...

Rostec
and OPK New Glider-T Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Can Navigate Without
GLONASS

At
"Army-2015” International Military-Technical Forum,
Russia's United Instrument Corporation unveiled the Glider-T
Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) which can navigate without
GLONASS, the Russian version of GPS (Global Position System).
The AUV will be able to locate passing ships by their sound,
carry out radio-location warfare tasks, imitate false targets,
interfere with the operation of enemy hydro-location and other
hydro-acoustic equipment, according to Sputnik International.

French
Navy ATL2 MPA Can Now Self Designate GBU-12 Laser-Guided Bombs With
MX-20 System

The
French Navy (Marine Nationale) announced that on 18 June 2015,
two Atlantique 2 (ATL2) maritime patrol crews were qualified
to GBU-12 Paveway II laser guided bomb shooting procedures
with self-designation. This flight marked the end of a training
course which confronted crews to modern technologies used
in air-to-ground support missions thanks to the Wescam MX-20D
electro-optical turret fitted on ATL2 Standard V.

At
the International Defense Exhibition in Serbia, Partner 2015,
which took place from the 23 to 26 June in Belgrade, Serbian
State Defense Company Yugoimport unveiled the Premax 39, a
Multirole Fast Patrol Boat especially designed to be used
in rivers, lakes as well as littoral water.

The
Royal Australian Navy Adelaide class frigate, HMAS Melbourne,
has successfully fired two Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles (RIM-162
ESSM), reinforcing her war-fighting and mariner skills. The
missile firings were conducted off the coast of New South
Wales on 24 June against an unmanned aerial target launched
from the Beecroft Range at Jervis Bay.

Egypt
is About to Procure an NH90 NFH Maritime Helicopter for its New FREMM
Multi-Mission Frigate

According
to several Middle Eastern news outlets, Egypt is about to
procure an NH90 NFH Maritime Helicopter for its newly acquired
FREMM multi-mission frigate Tahya Misr (originally
intended for the French Navy and formerly nammed Normandie).
The NH90 NFH (for NATO Frigate Helicopter) is fully operational
with the French Navy. According to many, the FREMM/NH90 combo
is one of the most potent anti-submarine warfare tool available
today.

HII
Delivers Virginia-Class Submarine John Warner (SSN 785) to the US Navy
Ahead of Schedule

Huntington Ingalls Industries' (HII) Newport News Shipbuilding
division delivered the submarine John Warner (SSN 785) to
the U.S. Navy yesteday. The Virginia-class submarine, the
first to be named for a person, was delivered two and a half
months ahead of schedule.

DCI is Going to Train the First Indian Navy Scorpene class (Project
75) Submarine Crew

DCI
is announcing the signature of a contract with the Indian
state shipyard named MDL (Mazagon Docks Limited) to train
the first two Indian crew operating SCORPENE type submarines.
100 sailors will be trained by DCI (36 per crew, one spare
and some Indian would-be instructors who will train the next
crew).

General Atomics (GA) was awarded an undefinitized contract
action for the production of the Electromagnetic Aircraft
Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) for
the future CVN 79 aircraft carrier to be named John F. Kennedy.
This contract is for the production of equipment to support
installation of EMALS and AAG into CVN 79, the second of the
Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers. CVN 79 is scheduled
to be delivered to the U.S. Navy in 2022.

On
June 17, the United States delivered the last two (of four)
Fast Missile Craft naval vessels to the port of Alexandria
in support of Egypt’s security and the Egyptian people.
The two Fast Missile Craft, built by VT Halter Marine in Pascagoula,
Mississippi, arrived in Alexandria on board a U.S. transport
ship, and will be integrated into the Egyptian Naval fleet
in the coming weeks. This delivery effectively doubles Egypt’s
total fleet of Ambassador MK III (Ezzat class) Fast Missile
Craft from two to four.

Canadian Government Announces Interim Supply Ship Capability Until Joint
Support Ships

The
Government of Canada will enter into preliminary discussions
with Chantier Davie Canada Incorporated to pursue an interim
supply ship capability, Defence Minister Jason Kenney announced
on June 23rd. These discussions with Chantier Davie will help
determine if it can provide an interim solution at a cost,
time, and level of capability acceptable to Canada and the
Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). Should the Government of Canada
decide to pursue a provision of service contract agreement...

An
F-35B Lightning II completed the first ramp-assisted short
take off to test the aircraft’s compatibility with British
and Italian aircraft carriers. “This test was a success
for the joint ski jump team," said Peter Wilson, BAE
Systems F-35 test pilot and U.K. citizen, who flew the June
19 mission at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland.
"The aircraft performed well and I can't wait until we're
conducting F-35 ski jumps from the deck of the Queen Elizabeth
carrier.”

NUSHIP
Adelaide, one of two Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) ships being
built for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), left BAE Systems
Williamstown on 17 June to begin sea trials, the company announced
yesterday, June 23, 2015. After some initial trials in Port
Phillip Bay, NUSHIP Adelaide will spend ten days on the water
travelling to Sydney.

France
handed over the FREMM Multi-Missions frigate Tahya Misr
(meaning Long Live Egypt) with hull number 1001 to the Egyptian
Navy during a ceremony held June 23rd at the DCNS shipyard
of Lorient in Brittany. Egypt becomes the second FREMM export
customer for DCNS following Morocco which commissioned the
Mohammed VI frigate in 2014.

U.S.
Navy Issues Request for information (RFI) for New Frigate Anti-Surface
Missile

The
Navy has issued a call to industry for options for an over-the-horizon
anti-surface missile for the service’s future frigate
design, according to a notice from Naval Sea Systems Command
(NAVSEA). The request for information (RFI) — issued
on June 15 — asks industry for options for a complete
systems that includes the munitions, the fire control system
and the launch system for the future missile destined for
the frigate with an upward weight limits of 22,500 pounds,
according to the notice.

Caterpillar
Marine has announced Cat power solutions have been selected
to power 16 new build Patrol Boats for the Republic of Korea
Navy (ROKN). Each Patrol Boat will be equipped with two Cat
C32 main propulsion diesel engines and two Cat C9 ship service
diesel generators. The first Patrol Boats will be constructed
at the Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction (HHIC) shipyard
in Korea.

Russian
Shipyard "Rybinsk Shipyard" (in Yaroslavl region)
was showcasing its BC-16 new high-speed landing craft (project
02510) for the Russian Navy during the large defense exhibition
"Army 2015" held last week near Moscow. The BC-16
shares many similar design features with the famous CB90-class
fast assault craft designed by Sweden's Dockstavarvet.

The
F-35 Lightning II program made aviation history June 12 as
Royal Air Force (RAF) Test Pilot Squadron Leader Andy Edgell
released two inert 500-pound dual mode Paveway IV precision-guided
bombs from aircraft BF-03 over the Atlantic Test Ranges.

NHI Congratulates the French Navy for Its Operational Achievements with
the NH90 NFH

NHI
celebrated during the Paris Air Show 2015 the operational
achievements of the French Navy with the NH90 NFH “Caiman”
Marine. This event took place in the NHI Pavilion in presence
of vice-admiral de Tarlé vice-chief of the French Navy,
and Rear Admiral Thouvenin commanding the French Fleet Air
Arm in presence of the NHI Board.

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, N.C. -- Spirits ran high
aboard the Karel Doorman, a warship with the Royal Netherlands
Navy, as U.S. Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron
261 made the first MV-22 Osprey landing aboard a Dutch ship
during an interoperability test conducted near Marine Corps
Air Station New River, North Carolina, June 12.